Tweaking

I have a client in the UK. We have been going back and for over email for a while and it has been difficult to come up with the perfect design. The client is looking for a contemporary half bezel low-set diamond on light half round band, along with an etoile pink and white diamond wedding band that sits flush to the engagement ring. (What a mouth full!) This would normally be the easiest of requests, except for the fact that the diamond is 3cts.

The reason a diamond of that size poses issues is because it is LARGE. A 3ct round diamond is 9mm wide by 5.5mm tall. Normally a stone that size would be set in an intricate/classic/antique setting with lots of metal and supports. And to put that on a simple 2-3mm band is tough... it lacks stability. And it would need to be set very high for the bezel not to bulge out of the side of the band.

The first attempt was close, but not quite there...


The client felt the stone was set too high (tall) for her taste and "v" for the half bezel was too small. But with some tweaking, it found the perfect compromise (the 2nd side view, on the right)...

What we are doing is adding width to the band (4mm total) to give allowance for the stone to sit lower. Then we added a little more material to the area where the bezel meets the shank to add stability to the setting. And, we opened up the "v" to let more light into the setting.

Now, I know you are thinking that this still seems like an easy project. But when dealing with such a large stone for a small size (size 6) it becomes difficult to keep the proportions in check. It's all about structure with a project like this.